Scaime moves into wind energy
French measurement solutions company, Scaime, has launched a new fibre optic sensor conditioner, the MDX-400, for the wind energy market.
The sensor is the first application for monitoring structures (foundations, mast and blades) to protect them and keep them in operation while also optimising maintenance operations. Specially designed for wind turbines, the MDX-400 enables the level of fatigue in the structure to be assessed.
Patrick Rey, head of products, Scaime, said: “The MDX-400 is enclosed in a stainless steel casing to withstand aggressive environments, especially salty air (particularly relevant to wind turbines near the sea and offshore). It has a good level of water tightness and is resistant to vibrations and shocks, both omnipresent in wind turbines. The connections between the MDX-400 casing and the optical lines are also very robust.”
The sensor has been based on the use of optical gauges with a Bragg grating, made from an optical fibre with alternating different refractive indices. It has a CANopen fieldbus interface on a robust waterproof connector to transmit the measurement to the PLC on the turbine and an embedded web server and an Ethernet connection for remote measuring.
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